Hypertension is a chronic medical condition in which the blood pressure in the arteries is elevated requiring the heart to work harder to circulate blood through the vessels. Blood pressure includes two measurements, systolic and diastolic, which depend on whether the heart muscle is contracting (systole) or relaxed between beats (diastole). Normal blood pressure at rest is within the range of 100-400 mmHg systolic and 60-90 mmHg diastolic. High blood pressure is typically present if it is persistently at or above 140/90 mmHg.
Hypertension is a major risk factor for stroke, myocardial infarction, heart failure, aneurysms of the arteries such as aortic aneurysms, peripheral arterial disease, and is a cause of chronic kidney disease. Even moderate elevation of arterial blood pressure is associated with a shortened life expectancy.
Current treatment methods, such as the administration of pharmaceuticals and renal denervation therapy, are associated with incomplete or otherwise limited treatment; high cost; invasiveness; and numerous undesirable side effects. There is therefore a need for improved approaches, including both devices and methods, for treating patients suffering from hypertension.